Russia: Preliminary Census Results Released

Moscow, 21 October 2002 (RFE/RL) -- Russia's State Statistics Committee released the first preliminary results from the nationwide census held earlier this month, which shows the country's population is about 143.3 million people. The head head of the State Statistics Committee demographic-statistics department, Irina Zbarskaya, said that though this figure is a preliminary figure it is likely close to the real total and agrees with the estimates of the department for census and demography.

The preliminary results showed that Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, and Volgograd continue to have populations of over 1 million residents. Moscow's population was put at 10 million residents.

The census officially ended today though there are still some remote regions where it continues. The official results of the census will not be known until next year.